Puces POP preview: LEMO Lemonades

It might be blustery and miserable outside, but that is no excuse for not getting your liquid sunshine on. LEMO Lemonades are the perfect cure for your winter blues. The bright pop of tart lemon, orange and grapefruit mix are the remedy to your maladies and I was lucky enough to get one of the brains behind the blends, Mélanie Walkty, to let me in on some of her secrets:

Angela Potvin (AP): How long has Lemo been operational?

Mélanie Walkty (MW): The business launched officially in the spring of 2014.

AP: What gave you the idea to start up this business and what is your background?

MW: Tyler is a sound engineer and I’m a teacher by training, so the idea of starting a lemonade business came as a surprise to both of us! The lemonade syrup is based on an old family recipe that Tyler grew up drinking as a kid in Manitoba. When we moved to Montreal in 2008, we started making it for summer bar-b-qs or picnics with friends. They all loved the recipe and started asking for more. We always knew it was good, but our experience with our friends made us wonder if it was something we could turn into a little business… and now we know! In less than a year, LEMO has made its way into over 30 locations and is continually growing and evolving. We are looking to expand in the near future and feel excited about what is still to come!

AP: Are you going to be operating a store front or working with distributors outside of Puces Pop? We have to know the best ways to find your lovely products!

MW: We do not plan to have a storefront anytime soon, but we have been working with a local distributor since the summer. They have helped us get LEMO into bars and several speciality grocery stores in the city. For the moment, the easiest way to get your hands on some LEMO would be through Alambika but we also encourage people to contact us directly through our website or Facebook page! We really enjoy being able to chat with our customers directly.

AP: What is the best part about doing what you do?

MW: The best part by far is being able to tell people we make lemonade for a living! Most people think we are joking!

AP: What’s your favorite flavor at the moment?

MW: My all-time favorite will always be our classic recipe- LEMO ORIGINAL- but at the moment, I’m really into our new WINTER LEMO flavor. It’s been fun to see people get excited about this new product. And with the cold weather on its way, it’s really a no-brainer!

LEMO Lemonade

After trying all three, I must concur. The WINTER LEMO is an instant hit, with its warming spice flavors, and really mixes well with brown alcohols such as whiskey, rum or bourbon, as does the ORIGINAL and the SOUR for that matter. Perfect for hot toddies and much easier to carry to a party than a gallon of juice. Don’t be put off by the ratio recommendations, you can always mix the syrup to taste, you don’t have to treat it like a science project. There is flavor to spare and if you do not drink the whole thing in one sitting, you can always refrigerate the rest for your future efforts at keeping away scurvy.

LEMO Lemonades will be featured Puces POP, December 12 from 2pm to 8pm and December 13 and 14 from 11am to 6pm Église Saint-Denis, 5075 rue Rivard